The creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF- ELCAC) through Executive Order No. 70 signed in 2018 heralded the beginning of a proactive and inclusive approach to the problem of insurgency and violence perpetrated by the communist terrorist group (CTG).

As we make headway in our advocacies, especially for the communities that have been overlooked for the longest time and forced to grapple with the CTG problem on their own, many of our fellow Filipinos have already benefited from the programs facilitated and enabled by the NTF-ELCAC.

Thus, defunding the Task Force and the programs it facilitates will jeopardize the progress we have made over the past years, especially the Barangay Development Program for our communities, as well as our localized reintegration program for our former rebels, among other programs and services being implemented under the Task Force. It must be pointed out that under Local Budget Circular No. 135, dated January 20, 2021, the funds for the Barangay Development Program shall be released directly to the Provincial Government where the community beneficiaries are located.

Defunding the Task Force will ultimately negate our whole-of-government and whole- of-nation approach that have empowered our various government agencies, local government units, civil society and all our other stakeholders. It will also validate the propaganda of the CTG that the government has forsaken these communities.

Without this convergence, the onus of defeating and addressing the communist insurgency will rely once more on the security sector. We all know that the security sector alone cannot address the issue. It needs the participation of all stakeholders – exactly what the NTF-ELCAC is doing.

Undoubtedly, the NTF-ELCAC is an unprecedented effort advanced by no less than the President himself. Implemented by the people, for the people, and supported by the people, the synergy to achieve our common goal is at the crux of what the NTF-ELCAC does – to finally end the local communist armed conflict. This is why instead of defunding, we must all rally behind the NTF-ELCAC so that our peace and development efforts will continue to be sustained. The peace dividends we are planting today will ultimately benefit our whole nation and the future generation of Filipinos.

DND Undersecretary Reynaldo B. Mapagu
Chairperson, Task Force Balik-Loob
Chairperson, E-CLIP and Amnesty Program Cluster, NTF-ELCAC